Healthy Meals Delivered

Where does one begin? I’ve been advised that blogs don’t need to be soul-searching or gut-wrenching. But in light of COVID-19 and how much it has taken over all our lives, I don’t believe I can sit here and not include it in my writing.

At first, I scoffed at the ensuing panic, and even still, I blame media onslaught for most of it. Fortunately, for me and many of my generation, we are wise enough to check out all news reports, before choosing what to believe. However, we very much have an older generation of folks, who aren’t able to disseminate all that they are being bombarded with and it is them we need to worry about most. Their age and immune systems have left them most compromised. A friend’s mom going through regular chemotherapy for cancer will die without her chemo treatments and yet, she needs to be quarantined due to any possible contact with COVID. What is she to do?

And to slow the spread, we have been advised to wash our hands constantly and not touch our faces. Weren’t we raised to do that? And now travel restrictions have been issued. Large crowd-gathering festivals and events are being cancelled at an alarming rate.

This virus is on target to kill our economy, or at least put a very large damaging dent in it. And I won’t even address the political ramifications it has caused, reading reports of our Asian American population who are experiencing blame and abuse, based on their ethnicity.

So, what does one do? Do we stop living our lives? My vote is no. I won’t become a recluse and refuse to go outside. And you won’t see me at Costco, hoarding toilet paper and paper towels. However, I will continue to follow the issued guidelines of cleanliness and avoiding those who exhibit symptoms. As a chef, I have always practiced good hygiene and those standards won’t change.

So, as you decide how best to manage your life and navigate your way through this latest crisis, I wish you the ability to make the best-informed decisions for yourself and your family.

And if you are forced to be quarantined or if you simply choose to do so yourself, I hope you’ll remember there are businesses out there, such as The Green Kitchen, who are happy to continue to keep you as healthy as possible. Our specialized meal delivery service can be one option of helping you avoid crowds.

www.greenkitchenrichmond.com
cheftammy@greenkitchenrichmond.com
804-687-7099

Asian Fun Coming!

Greetings from The Green Kitchen!

Welcome back.  How are we already mid-March?

Let’s talk fun!  The Green Kitchen is picking up steam, about to host our first Asian-inspired Pop-Up next week.  We’ve partnered with a local colleague, whom while we’ve traveled “in the same circles” here in Richmond, we’ve never met.  Her background is mostly Asian-influenced and she loves food as much as I do.  Not to mention, the menu is gluten-free!  Check it out on Facebook and join us Thursday, March 14.

And all that talk about Asian food had me look into my archives and find one of my favorite recipes – Asian Braised Pork Belly – yum!  Star Anise, Ginger, Dark Soy Sauce, Rock Candy, just to name a few ingredients. Pork Belly Tacos with Watermelon for dinner this weekend!  Be sure to look out for pictures.

Where would we be without all the culinary influences in our lives?  Being from the South, my first foray into anything other than delicious pinto beans with onions and cornbread, was Chinese food, which I still love.  Then I discovered Indian food, then Thai and Vietnamese.  Such flavors these cuisines have brought us!  What’s your favorite?

The Green Kitchen is almost too busy for words these days, but those who know me, know that just isn’t true.  We’re having surprise birthday parties at the shop, luncheons with supper clubs, teas, team-building sessions, and we even hosted an Oscar-watching party!  Our private event space is perfect for your intimate event of 16-30.  We’d love to host your next special occasion.

Check us out on Facebook – The Green Kitchen or follow us on Instagram at greenkitchenrva

www.greenkitchenrichmond.com

314 N. 25th St., Richmond, VA  23225

Good Habits!

Greetings from The Green Kitchen!

Welcome back. Wow! So much for resolutions, right?! I see from my blog last month that I intended to start the New Year with continuing my blog and here we are 6+ weeks later finally getting around to my 2nd one of the year.

This leads me to an age-old question I’ve asked many times. Why is it good habits are so hard to adopt and bad ones so easy? Are we just lazy? Or do we just get wrapped up in so much of our lives that it leaves little time, or quality time I should say, for what’s really important. And I don’t mean just to try and blog regularly, either.

I had lunch with a friend recently who was telling me about her 8-year old’s “schedule”, and, wow, that read like any busy CEO’s. It just makes me wonder why we are trying to fill our lives with so much by way of activities.

Being in business for myself, I work harder than I ever did for anyone else. And why? Because I want to call the shots and lead my life the way I want to. Some days are 15-hour days on my feet and some days are completely spent in my pjs, laying around with my dogs and reading and napping. But I guess those are the days I should be writing my blog, LOL!

Anyway, before I go down another rabbit hole, let’s check in with you. How are your resolutions going? Have you maintained healthy eating habits, exercise habits? If not, I’m still here for you!

The Green Kitchen has been providing healthy meals for Richmond families for many years now. I love helping people with their dietary challenges and that seems to be a growing problem. We take the stress of menu planning, grocery shopping and cooking away from your busy life and your kids’ CEO kind of schedule. Wouldn’t it be great to not have to worry about your family eating healthy? Check us out at www.greenkitchenrichmond.com or give us a call at 804-687-7099. We’d love to help out!

Happy New Year!

Greetings from The Green Kitchen!

Welcome back. It’s been 5 months since my last blog and what a ride it has been!! The universe truly delivered these last few months, hence my absence.

I intend to start this New Year off right with continuing my blog. Social media can be daunting to us over a certain age, and I’m doing my best to keep up. Thank goodness for my daughter and her vast knowledge and experience.

So, if history repeats itself, this month is no exception. January is all about trying to get healthy. We, myself included, eat way more in the winter, starting at Thanksgiving it seems, ending the year and holidays with an over-indulgence of sweets. That 13” of snow we got before Christmas was no help, either. Snowed in, what else is there to do?

Then January rolls around and we step on that “monster” in the bathroom that shows us certain numbers that cause an audible gasp throughout the house. Next thing you know, we are online searching for the cost of a gym membership and hoping that last year’s exercise clothes still fit.

And we also decide to take embark on one of my least favorite “journeys” – that dreaded 4-letter word… “D-I-E-T”. And there is no shortage of these, as you have likely discovered.

But whether it’s Keto, Paleo or a cleanse as Whole30, we should all remember that after we have lost winter’s weight gain, we need to continue our healthy eating throughout the year, else we “feed” that vicious cycle and find ourselves repeating history again next January. An age-old question I’ve asked for years is “why is it so easy to develop bad habits, and so hard to maintain good ones?”

Losing weight for me nearly 3 years ago, began with walking. And I was successful, having lost 40 lbs after a year.

But I’m not here to be your personal trainer. I’m here to be your chef. I’ve worked with many clients over the years, helping them achieve their dietary goals. A most recent success story for The Green Kitchen is that we are working with a client who has lost nearly 30 lbs since March 2018! The proof is evident in the photos here:

 

But whether or not you choose to have a personal trainer or chef to help you with your goal of getting healthier and losing weight, remember maintaining good health is an ongoing process, and not just for the first month of the year.

I wish you all a healthy and prosperous 2019!

The Green Kitchen
314 N. 25th St., 804-687-7099
www.greenkitchenrichmond.com

2016
2018

Long time, no see

Greetings from The Green Kitchen!

So if you are reading this, welcome back. It’s been 4 months since my last blog and what a ride it has been!! The universe truly delivered these last few months, hence my absence.

Some of you know I had been looking at a space in the west end from which to create The Green Kitchen. This process started over a year ago. As time wore on, the cost for renovating was staggering. But the universe had my back!

In March this year, I received word of a commercial kitchen in Churchill and decided to check it out. Turns out, it was a space I had looked at 18+ months prior, but the timing wasn’t right then.

Always being a believer in trusting your instincts, this time was no exception. I was thrilled to recognize a second opportunity was knocking on my door and I seized it!

Fast forward 4 months and we are in our new location – an 11-year old dream has finally come true.

We continue to offer specialized meal service, catering and cooking instruction and can now add private dining to our list of services. With intimate seating of 16, your event will stand out! Come check us out and be sure to book your holiday party early!

The Green Kitchen is at 314 N. 25th St., in Churchill and we can’t wait to see you there! Call 804-687-7099 or email us at cheftammy@greenkitchenrichmond.com